Gay Fitness: Strength & Stabilization Training

Resistance training is the secret to losing weight and keeping excess pounds off. It builds lean muscle mass, which fights fat even while you are resting. Bodytek workouts use high intensity interval training to give you intense bursts of exercise coupled with moderate-to-light recovery periods. The idea behind this is to constantly shock the body, which is proven to be the most efficient and effective way to improve your cardiovascular system, lose weight, and build muscle. This type of exercise allows your heart rate to fluctuate giving you more caloric burn and prevents you from plateauing. Mixing up your workouts ensures you’ll continue to challenge yourself, achieve your goals and see results.

At Bodytek we use a variety of equipment and techniques such as resistance bands. They come in several different resistance levels, indicated by color. They are a very adaptable fitness tool with a vast number of different exercises to work out several muscle groups. You can add a second band to most workouts to challenge yourself even more. They are also very easy to travel with.

Resistance Bands

Side Raises

Standing on the band, place both feet shoulder width apart. Keep your knees slightly bent, palm of your hands towards the floor and simultaneously pull the band away from your body. Don’t extend your arms up above your shoulders, keep them stretched out parallel to the floor. Slowly return your arms to your side, maintaining the resistance, don’t collapse them into a resting position. The wider your stance, the more resistance you’ll achieve. If you need less resistance, take one foot off the band and place it in front of you. Complete three sets of twelve to fifteen reps, resting for ten seconds between each set.

Tricep Extension

Standing on the band, place both feet shoulder width apart. Position your hands behind your head and bend your elbows close to your ears at ninety-degree angle. Extend your arms up over your head. Remember to keep your knees slightly bent. The wider your stance, the more resistance you’ll achieve. However, to maintain good form with this exercise, change the band to a higher level if you want more resistance. If you need less resistance, take one foot off the band and place it in front of you. Complete three sets of twelve to fifteen reps, resting for ten seconds between each set.

Biceps Curl

Standing on the band place both feet shoulder width apart. Extend your forearms out with elbows at your side and palms facing up. Curl arms up and down, back to that ninety-degree angle you started in. You can also position your arms slightly away from each other to perform a wider bicep curl. Throughout the workout keep your elbows at your side maintaining that ninety-degree angle. The wider your stance, the more resistance you’ll achieve. If you need less resistance, take one foot off the band and place it in front of you. Complete three sets of twelve to fifteen reps, resting for ten seconds between each set.

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